Expandable display tray

ABSTRACT

An open-top tray for shipping and displaying articles of merchandise which can be expanded by moving the side walls away from each other.

I Umted States Patent [191 [111 3,9

Gardner et a]. Dec. 9, 1975 [5 EXPANDABLE DISPLAY TRAY 2,953,244 9/1960Phillips 206/44 R Inventors: J y M Gardner, W ea e n; 3,737,094 6/1973Beaver et a]. 206/44 R William M. Pilz, Eldridge, Iowa [73] Assignee:Container Corporation of America, Primary ExaminerGeorge E. LowranceChicago, Ill. Assistant Examiner-Douglas B. Farron [22] Filed: Mar. 5,1975 A ttorney, Agent, or Flrm-Carpenter, Ost1s &

Lindberg [21] Appl. No.: 555,697

[52] US. Cl 206/44 R; 206/72; 229/DIG. 3;

229/30; 229/41 R [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. B65D 5/52; B65D 1/34; B65D5/20 [58] Field of Search 206/44 R, 72, 45.15; An p n-t p tr y f r shippng and displaying arti les 229/DIG, 3, 30, 41 R of merchandise which canbe expanded by moving the side walls away from each other [56]References Cited 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures1,909,474 5/1933 Keppler 206/44 R T l6 l8 2 I \2 24 i I is I I J I i l 29 US. Patent Dec. 9, 1975 EXPANDABLE DISPLAY TRAY SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a tray-typecontainer which may be used to package relatively heavy articles ofmerchandise, such as books, for shipment, and which can thereafter beexpanded to a greater width for display purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an open-top, expandable,tray-type container which may be assembled from a flat blank of sheetmaterial, such as paperboard or the like, without the need of stapling,gluing, or taping.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide, in a container ofthe type described, an end and side wall construction includingexpansion flap members interconnecting end and side walls which permitsthe end walls to be moved away from each other to make the tray widerwhen desired.

These' and other objects of the invention will be apparent from anexamination of the following description and drawing, wherein:

DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray-type container embodyingfeatures of the invention, as shown in a retracted position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, but with the container shownin an expanded position; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank of sheet material from which thecontainer illustrated in the other views may be formed.

It will be understood that, for purposes of clarity, certain views mayhave been intentionally omitted from certain views where they arebelieved to be illustrated to better advantage in other views.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of theinvention, it will be seen that the novel tray-type shipping containerembodying features of the invention, which is indicated generally at Tin FIGS. 1 and 2, may be formed from a unitary blank of sheet material,such as foldable paperboard, as indicated generally at B in FIG. 1 ofthe drawing.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, container T is in the form of an open-toptray including a generally rectangular bottom wall 10, a pair of frontand rear side walls 12 and 14, respectively, a pair of end walls 16, anda pair of vertical partitions 18, all of which are foldablyinterconnected to form a box-like structure open at the top.

Referring now to FIG. I of the drawing, it will be seen that front wall12 includes a pair of outer and inner panels 12a and 12b which arehingedly interconnected at their upper edges by a relatively narrow,elongated top panel 12c. Front wall outer panel 12a is hingedly attachedto a forward edge of bottom wall along a fold line 11, and top panel 120is hingedly attached along its outer and inner edges to panels 12a and12b along fold lines 13 and 15, respectively. At its free lower edge,outer panel 12b is provided with a projection or extension 17 which isdisposed to be received within a recess or depression 19 located inbottom wall 10 immediately adjacent fold line 11.

Rear side wall ,14 also includes a pair of outer and inner panels 14aand 14b, respectively, which are hingedly interconnected at their upperedges by a relatively narrow top panel 14c. Outer panel 14a is hingedlyattached at its lower edge to a rear edge of bottom wall 10 along foldline 21. Top panel is hingedly attached at its outer and inner edgesalong fold lines 23 and 25 to the upper edges of outer and inner panels14a and 14b, respectively. At its free or lower edge, inner panel 14b isprovided with a projection or extension 22 which is adapted to bereceived within a recess or depression 27, presented by bottom wall 10immediately adjacent fold line 21.

It will be noted that rear wall inner panel 14b and top panel 14c are ofslightly less width than outer panel 14a and that there is provided inouter panel 14a on both sides of its attachment to top panel 14c a pairof locking tabs 24, each of which are defined by a pair of spaced,preferably irregularly shaped cut lines 26 extending from the upper edgeof panel 14a downward to a hinge line 28 on which the locking tab ishingedly attached to outer panel 14a. The purpose of locking tabs 24will be described later in the Specification. Rear wall outer panel 14amay be provided with a pair of preferably circular recesses 29 locatedat the opposed side edges thereof, and the purpose of these recesseswill also be described later in the Specification.

Each of the end walls 16 of the container also includes a pair of outerand inner panels 16a and 16b, respectively, which are interconnected attheir upper edges by a relatively narrow top panel 160. Outer panel 16ais hingedly attached on fold line 31 to an adjacent side edge of frontwall outer panel 12a, and end wall top panel 16c is hingedly attached atits outer and inner edges to the upper edges of outer and inner end wallpanels 16a and 16b along fold lines 33 and 35, respectively.

Hingedly attached at one edge along a fold line 37 to a lower edge ofeach end wall outer panel 16a is a connecting panel 38. Each connectingpanel 38 is disposed to overlie a marginal portion of bottom wall 10,when the container is in an erected condition, and has hingedly attachedto an opposed parallel edge along fold line 39, a vertical partition 18which extends between the front and rear side walls of the containerwhen the carton is in an erected condition.

Each, end wall inner panel 16b is provided along its free lower edgewith an extension or projection 32 which is adapted to be receivedwithin a recess or depression 36, presented by connecting panel 38immediately adjacent fold line 37. In order to provide for the expansionof the container by moving the end walls away from each other, there isprovided an expansion member which includes a main flap 40 which ishingedly attached at its lower edge along fold line 41 to an end edge ofrelated connecting panel 38. Hingedly attached to another edge of mainflap 40 along fold line 43 is a front corner flap 42. Hingedly attachedto the opposed side edge of main flap 40 along a fold line 45 is firstrear corner flap 44. Hingedly attached to an opposed edge of first rearcorner flap 44 along a fold line 47 is a second rear corner flap 46. Atthe upper edge of second rear corner flap 42 there is presented acut-away portion or recess 48, the purpose of which is described laterin the Specification.

It will be understood that the novel tray-type container herein may beassembled or erected either manually or automatically without the use ofany glue, staples, or tape, because all of the parts have interlockingconnections with each other.

tive to bottom wall 10. Panels 16a are then folded inwardly 90 relativeto panel 12a, so that panels 38 overlie marginal portions of bottom wall10. This completes set-up of both ends of the container. Panel 12b isthen folded downwardly 180 with its projection 17 being received inrecess 19 in bottom wall 10, thus, locking the front wall in position.Panel 14a is then folded upwardly 90 relative to bottom wall and panel14b is folded downwardly 180 with its projection 22 being receivedwithin recesses 27 of bottom wall 10 to lock the rear wall in position,with flaps 40, 44, and

46 being sandwiched between panels 14a and 14b. Partition panel 18 isthen folded upward at a 90 angle relative to connecting panel 38 and thecontainer is now in a completely assembled or erected'condition and isin the closed or retracted position and may be filled with articles ofmerchandise, such as books, for

shipping. After the articles have been shipped'in the container, and itis desired to expand the container for display purposes, the end walls16 may be moved outwardly from the center of the container either bypulling directly on the end walls or by grasping the flaps 40 in theareas of the recesses 29 provided in the rear wall outer panel 14a. Whenthe tray has been expanded to a position where the recesses 48 in flaps46 are in alignment with lock tabs 24 on rear wall outer panel 14a, thelock tabs may be folded over and inserted into recesses 48 to provide aninterlocking connection and thereby prevent further outward movement ofthe end walls of the tray. Thus, it will be seen that there is providedin the invention, a novel tray-type container of relatively simpledesign and construction which is entirely selfcontained, so that it canbe erected without any additional securing means, such as glue, staples,or tape,

and which may be moved from a retracted to an expanded position andlocked in such position for display purposes if so desired.

We claim:

1. In an expandable shipping and display tray, formed of a unitary blankof foldable paperboard or the like, the combination of:

a. a bottom wall and opposed pairs of front and rear side walls and endwalls foldably interconnected to form a box-like structure open at thetop;

b. said side and end walls each including a pair of inner and outerpanels;

c. at least one expansion member including:

i. a first flap interposed between the panels of an end wall;

ii. a second flap slidably interposed between the panels of a side wallfor movement between a tray retracted position, wherein substantiallyall of said second flap is disposed within said side wall, and a trayexpanded position, wherein only a distal portion of said secondflap ispositioned within said side wall;

d. lock means detachably interconnecting said second flap and said sidewall when the former is in said tray expanded position.

2. A tray according to claim 1, wherein said expansion member includes aconnecting panel overlying said bottom wall and having one side edgefoldably connected to a lower edge of said end wall outer flap andhaving another side edgefoldably connected to a lower edge of a flap ofsaid expansion member.

3. A tray according to claim 2, and including a vertically disposedpartition element foldably connected at its lower edge to and upstandingfrom a side edge of said connecting panel.

4. A tray according to claim 1, wherein said lock means includes a locktab foldably connected to said side wall outer panel and engageable witha recess in said expansion member second flap.

5. A tray according to claim 1, wherein said end walls are parallel toeach other when the tray is in its retracted position and diverge fromone of said sidewalls when the tray is in its expanded position.

1. In an expandable shipping and display tray, formed of a unitary blankof foldable paperboard or the like, the combination of: a. a bottom walland opposed pairs of front and rear side walls and end walls foldablyinterconnected to form a box-like structure open at the top; b. saidside and end walls each including a pair of inner and outer panels; c.at least one expansion member including: i. a first flap interposedbetween the panels of an end wall; ii. a second flap slidably interposedbetween the panels of a side wall for movement between a tray retractedposition, wherein substantially all of said second flap is disposedwithin said side wall, and a tray expanded position, wherein only adistal portion of said second flap is positioned within said side wall;d. lock means detachably interconnecting said second flap and said sidewall when the former is in said tray expanded position.
 2. A trayaccording to claim 1, wherein said expansion member includes aconnecting panel overlying said bottom wall and having one side edgefoldably connected to a lower edge of said end wall outer flap andhaving another side edge foldably connected to a lower edge of a flap ofsaid expansion member.
 3. A tray according to claim 2, and including avertically disposed partition element foldably connected at its loweredge to and upstanding from a side edge of said connecting panel.
 4. Atray according to claim 1, wherein said lock means includes a lock tabfoldably connected to said side wall outer panel and engageable with arecess in said expansion member second flap.
 5. A tray according toclaim 1, wherein said end walls are parallel to each other when the trayis in its retracted position and diverge from one of said siDe wallswhen the tray is in its expanded position.